Coffin



(No Model.)

A. E. RANCK.

GOFFIN.

No. 354,437. i Patented Dec. 14, 1886.

WIT/VESSES: 4 /lf/ VE/VTH ATIOHNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ADAM E. R'ANOK, OF NEW HOLLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

COFFIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,437, dated December 14, 1886.

Application filed May 4, 1886.

Serial No. 201,029. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM E. RANCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at'NeW Hol land, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Grave-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for receiving and protect-ing cotns and burial-caskets and protecting them against Water and rapid decay; and the objects of my improvements are to provide a durable and strong substitute for the rough boxes and brick or cement vaults now so generally employed, to make them so as to be easily transported and readily put together upon reaching the place of burial7 and to construct them so that the length may be varied to accommodate them to the various lengths of coins.

My vault may be constructed of metal, hy-` draulic cement, or terra-cotta, (though I prefer iron castings,) and is composed of plates or slabs secured together so as to be perfectly water-tight, and is divided into sections at the center in such a Way that the length can be varied, as hereinafter described.

I accomplish the objects of my inveution'in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a perspective View of one of my vaults; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same With the top or lid removed; Fig. 3, a crosssection through x .r of Fig. l.

The general shape of my vaultis that ol' an ordinary coffin, the sides, top, bottom, end7 and angles being formed of separate plates, all but the top and bottom plates of which are constructed with lap-joints, by which they are connected, as shown at a, while the top and bottom plates are joined With the others by means of a tlange and lap-joint, as shown at c. The side, bottom, and top plates, A, B, and C, are divided at the center, and the inner ends are made with lap-j oints b, of such length that the length ofthe vault can be varied from one foot to fourteen inches. It is not necessary that the width or proportions other than the length should vary, as there are three general sizes-those for children, halfgrown persons,

and adultse-Which afford suflicient difference in the other dimensions. The various plates are fastened together by bolts, the holes for all of which can be prepared before the vaults are putin stock so that when 'one is ordered for use the only holes to be cut are those for the bolts which connect the sections and regulate the length. All the joints are packed with rubber, cement, or paint where the plates are fastened together, so as toA exclude all Water or moisture.

As will be readily understood from the description, these vaults are rendered peculiarly easy oftransportation by reason of the number of parts into which they are divided, and while'having the advantage of being Watertight and durable, thus being superior to the old wooden rough boX, by the ability to keep them in stock they save the time necessary to construct vaults of brick or cement and economize space and digging.

I know that there have been section-vaults l the length of which can be varied by increasing or diminishing the number of sections; but I do not know of any the length of which can be regulated Withoutvaltering the number ot' pieces employed in their construction. I do not, therefore, broadly claim a vault made variable in its length; but y IVhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, :is-

A portable and adjustable burial-vault formed of sections connected by means of lapjoints, the said sections being constructed ot' separate plates for forming the top, bottom, sides, and angles, the longitudinal and angle plates being connected by lapjoints, said lapjoints having a series of holes whereby adj ust-V ADAM E. RANOK.

Witnesses:

D. XV. GERHARD, I. BUsHoNG. 

